The Uses of a Melon
by Quintessential Dreams
Summary: After taking a week off, Hermione decides she's going to take her kids, husband, as well as the Potters on an adventure to Texas for the annual Watermelon Thump. Done for the Bizarre Holiday challenge at HPFC
1. Monday 21 June

_**The Uses of a Melon**_

**I do not own the Harry Potter Franchise; it belongs to JK. Rowling and others.**

**This is a challenge for Taragh McCarthy and her Bizarre Holidays over at HPFC. I was given Watermelon Seed Spitting Week (quite the tongue twister is you ask me xD). Well, on with the show… hope you like it!**

_Chapter 1: Monday 21 June 2011_

Hermione Weasley sat on the porch of her house as she watched her two children play in their backyard. She had taken the present week off in order to spend some much needed time with her children and family. As they played on the toy brooms they had gotten from Uncle Harry last Christmas, Hermione held her current book in her lap, if only to make it look like she was reading. In reality, she was wondering what it was she was going to do with the week she now had free. She had urged her husband to do the same and just spend time together as a family of four, rather than the family of twenty-odd cousins, aunts, uncles, brothers, and sisters. No, this week was to be theirs and theirs alone.

As she thought more on it, she began to think back on her days as a child. It was around this time when her parents and she would fly to the States where she would see some of her more distant cousins. She hadn't been to Texas in over two decades. There was a festival going on in a little town known as Luling and Hermione had to wonder if maybe it had started. Usually, it was at the end of the month. Standing up, Hermione placed her book on the chair she had been sitting in and went inside. Her house was made of muggle and magical appliances – something Ron had been hesitant about at first; and now, he knew how to do the laundry without a charm and how to use the telephone even. To say she was proud of him was an understatement.

Picking up the receiver, she called home to her parents' house first. She let it ring. _Once. Twice._ Three times it rung before her mother picked up. "Good afternoon, Mum." She said brightly. "I was wondering if you had Aunt Clara's phone number. I was thinking about taking a family trip with the kids down to Texas to the Watermelon Thump." Hermione listened as her mother rustled around for a phone book before she told her the number she desired. "Thank you." She told her mum. Her ear soon became glued to the telephone as she listened to the gossip that her mother had recently taken up. "Oh, well, I hope nothing went too bad. Give Dad a hug from me and tell him I said hi. I'm going to give Aunt Clara a call. Bye Mum." She quickly placed the receiver down so that she didn't have to listen to the shameless gossiping girl her mother had somehow turned into from the time Hermione left Hogwarts to when her Rosie was born.

Dialling the foreign number, again Hermione waited. _One. Two. _Three rings again and then she heard the gruff hello of her uncle. "Uncle Ricky? It's Hermione."

Dear, old Uncle Ricky's voice could be heard loud and clear from the other side of the receiver pulled a good five centimetres away from her ear. "Little Hermione? God, haven't heard from ya in years. W'as it been? Twen'y years now?"

Hermione chuckled. "Yes, Uncle Ricky. Mum and Dad sent me to a boarding school when I was eleven and I had schoolwork I needed to get done over the summer. Anyways, I was wondering if the Watermelon Seed Festival is there yet."

"Oh yeah. They've been settin' 'er up all this week. You and yer Mom and Dad should come down. I'd love to see that brother of mine."

"Mum and Dad have to work. But I'd be bringing down my own family. I'm married now. With two children." Hermione explained to her uncle. She could almost hear him nodding and it was odd. She hadn't talked to this man in over twenty years and now, here she was, hoping they'd house her family. "I miss Aunt Clara's gumbo."

"Aw, Claire makes the best gumbo. Those little uns of yours need to try it. Sadly, she doesn't make it as spicy anymore. But it's still good."

"Mummy!" Hermione heard her youngest scream and soon found herself having to say her goodbyes early.

"That's my son. I need to see what's wrong. Hopefully I can find some tickets to come down and you can meet them. Do you still have room?"

"We might. Darrell just moved in with Emmy an' li'l Bella so we might have some room down in 'is old room and Constance's old room. Gimme a call when you have those plane tickets, Hermione."

"I will. Bye Uncle Ricky." With that, Hermione hung the phone up and turned around just to bump into her son. "What's the matter, love?" She knelt down so that she was eye-level with Hugo.

"Rosie pushed me off my broom. She did it on purpose."

"Did not!" Came the screech of her daughter.

"Did too…"

"I did not. Mummy, you can't believe him. He's lying."

Hermione found a headache coming on as she stood up and picked her son up off the floor. "Follow me." It was all she said to her daughter before going into the kitchen. Unfortunately, Ron had been called in to work as George was having a bad flu coming on. She sat Hugo on the table before turning to grab an ice-pack from the freezer. She placed the pack on Hugo's bumped head and told him to hold it there. She then turned to Rose. "Why did you push your brother off of his broom?"

"I didn't, Mummy. I mean it."

"Rose Minerva, do not lie to me. Why did you push Hugo off of his broom?"

"He cheated." Rose mumbled as her eyes downcast.

"I did not." Hugo butt in.

"Did too."

"Did not."

Soon, Hermione was getting fed up with the children. "Please quiet down for one moment. I thought maybe a nice little holiday would be wonderful, but I'm thinking that was a bad idea."

"Holiday?" Both children perked up at the word. "What kind of holiday, Mummy?" Rose continued on. "Like another holiday to Gramma's house? Or a real holiday where we actually leave the country?"

"What?" Hermione was rather confused for the moment before she recovered. "Never mind, a real holiday I suppose. I have family in the States and I thought it would be nice to see them."

"Oh, so it's a family picnic like at Gramma's." Hugo commented.

"No, there's a festival going on in the town where my family lives. I thought it would be nice to get away for the week."

"Can Al come with us?" Rose asked.

"And Lily too?" added in Hugo. It wasn't a bad idea, having the Potters go along with them. _Ginny would keep me sane._ Hermione mused. "Please Mummy?"

Before she was even saying anything, Hermione was nodding her approval. "James can come too. Same with Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry too."

"I'm home." Hermione was barely able to finish before the kids ran out of the kitchen and into the room which held their fireplace, remnants of _'Daddy!' _being heard down the hall. Hermione sat down in one of the chairs at the table and held onto the ice-pack she had given to her son and brought it to her head where the headache had started. "Hello, love." Hermione looked up to see Ron come into the kitchen with one child on his shoulders and the other hanging from his arm. It put a warm feeling in her stomach and fondness in her heart. This was her family regardless of whether or not they argued or whether or not they got along. "Hermione?" Ron snapped the fingers of his free hand and brought her attention to him. "Mind helping out? These two are getting a bit heavy."

"Sure." Hermione held up her arms and grabbed Rose from her father's shoulders and placed her on the ground. "Ron, I was thinking about taking a trip."

"I heard." He said. When Hermione gave him a puzzled look, he nodded over at their daughter. "Rosie told me you wanted to get away. A _real_ holiday, she called it."

"Going to Gramma's for dinner on Sunday is not a holiday, Daddy." Ron stuck his tongue out at his daughter, causing her to do the same.

"Ron, grow up. Rose, Hugo, to your rooms to play. I want to talk this over with your father."

"Kay Mum." Both kids announced before they ran in the general direction where their rooms were.

"So what is it you wanted to discuss?" Ron took a seat at the table and pulled the _Daily Prophet_ towards him.

"I was hoping to go to Texas…" she waited to continue on to see his reaction. He didn't seem to have one. "Ron, did you hear me?"

"Yes, Hermione. You want to go to Texas. You told me nothing else."

"You know where Texas is, right?" When Ron shrugged Hermione let out a groan. "Ron. I want to go to the States to see my family."

"What?" The paper fell from his grip as he looked at his wife.

"I have family in the States. When I was younger, Mum and Dad took me to the festival that comes to the town where my family lives." Still, he just looked at her. "I haven't seen my Aunt Clara or Uncle Richard in over twenty years. I was about nine the last time they saw me." His gaze stayed on her. "I thought it would be nice to see them, let them see how much I've grown. Maybe see some of my cousins. Meet their kids and see some old friends I made there." Silence still reigned once she stopped speaking. "Will you say something?"

"Hermione, your family usually means no magic."

"So?"

"What do you mean 'so'?" Ron stood from the chair. "Hermione… I don't think it's such a good idea. I mean, the kids are still young. What if they mess up and say something about our world?"

"Well, Hugo's four, they'd take it as his own little fantasy and Rosie is six now. She's pretty smart at keeping her mouth shut. Please Ron? You'll love the festival. And Harry, Ginny and their kids can come too. I mean, my uncle doesn't know that yet, but he'd love to have them. Please?" Hermione wasn't one to beg, and when she did, she really, truly wanted something. And how was Ron to say no to that?

"Fine." He wasn't.

"Wonderful. I need to call and see if I can book some tickets. Then we need to pack and I need to call Harry and Ginny. I'll also need—"

"Hold on a second, Hermione. What do you mean tickets?"

"Plane tickets, Ron. It would look suspicious if we just poofed there automatically."

"But Hermione, we can just 'poof' there automatically. We don't need them to pick us up. We can just apparate."

"I'd feel safer taking the plane. You know how I am with long distance apparation. Especially with a side-along." Hermione chewed on her bottom lip as she thought about it more and more. "I'd worry that someone got splinched and that is not something I would need or want to deal with. You remember when you got splinched. That is not something I want happening to our children."

Hermione seemed to find herself pacing the kitchen as she explained her reasons for using an aeroplane rather than apparation. Ron grabbed her by the shoulders and placed a kiss to her cheek. "Fine, Hermione. We'll go on the plane-thingy." With a hug, Hermione went to call the airport.

_xxx_

"Are we really going on a trip? A real trip?" Rosie jumped up and down on her bed as Ron stood in the doorway of her room, an amused expression on his face. He had told her that they were taking their first real and official holiday and Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry were going with them. "I can't believe it! Thank you, Daddy." Rosie jumped off her bed and ran to hug her father around his waist.

"There's no need for thanks, Rose. It was Mum's idea."

"I know. But she said she needed to talk to you about it. So I just figured she wanted to you let her have her way."

"I don't let her have her way."

"Yes you do, Daddy. You always give Mummy what she wants." The six-year-old nodded with certainty and let go of Ron. She then began to pack.

"We're taking an aeroplane." Ron told her, parroting what Hermione told him to say.

"What's that, Daddy?" Rose looked up from her small suitcase in wonder.

"Um, it's this huge metal object that flies in the air."

"You mean like Grampa's old flying car?"

"Who told you about the flying car?"

"Uncle Harry told me. He said in your second year you flew it to Hogwarts. Is the thing we're taking like that?"

"Kind of." Ron wasn't sure how to explain it to Rose. The way Hermione explained it made the contraption sound very dangerous and could just fall out of the sky in a split second. "It's a muggle transportation device." He opted to go with that as it made the thing sound a lot less dangerous and scary.

"Oh. Okay, Daddy."

"Mummy said she was going to get tickets for it. We're leaving tomorrow sometime." With that, Ron left his daughter's room in order to find his son. It was his turn to hear about the official trip.

_xxx_

The small conversation with Hugo went generally the same way it did with Rose. He was excited that Mummy and Daddy were taking him on a trip and his Lily could go with them along with James and Al and Aunty Ginny and Uncle Harry! When Hugo had exclaimed that out loud, it occurred to Ron that they had yet to actually ask the Potters if they wanted to join their little rendezvous to the States, so Ron made his way into the family area where their fireplace was and flooed Harry.

"Harry, you there?" Ron called as he tried to pull as much of his head through to look around.

"Ron? Hey there, mate." Harry walked into the room where his own fireplace was, little Lily trailing after her father. "How are you?"

"Good, good. Hey, Hermione got this idea in her head that she wants to go to the States to see some long lost family of hers."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. She wants us to go on this plane-thingy—"

"You mean an aeroplane, Ron?" Ron nodded a forlorn look on his face. "They're not dangerous. Well, not entirely; there are people who go to learn how to pilot them."

"I'm still nervous about it. I said we could just apparate… but y'know… her, uh, opinions on distance apparation. I'm also not sure if I want to go."

"Why not?"

"You know the small extra baggage that comes with being married to Hermione."

Harry supressed a chuckle and commented. "No, I don't, Ron. I'm not married to her."

"Harry! This is serious. With her family, comes _no_ magic." Ron panicked.

"Ron?" Hermione's voice rang out. "Oh, there you are," a smile bright on her face.

"Hullo Hermione. Ron told me about your trip to the States."

"Hi Harry. It's a good thing he called you. Silly me went to go call the airport without asking you and Gin first."

"Asking us what exactly?"

"If you'd come with us. Hugo wants Lily to come with us and Rose wants to bring Albus. I figured it would be a nice family trip."

"Oh; sure Hermione. Let me just go talk to Ginny about it. Did you get fly times?"

"I did. Tell you what, why don't the five of you come on over for the time being and we'll plan everything?" The two patriarchs said their goodbyes and closed the floo line. "Did you talk to the children, Ron?" He just nodded. "Wonderful." Just as she left the room, one by one, the Potter family filed into their house.

_xxx_

"I'm not so sure about this…" came Ron's voice as he again questioned his wife's mode of transportation.

"I think it's a wonderful idea. Just think, the children will have a real holiday for the first time and you'll all get to meet my Aunt Clara and Uncle Richard." Hermione urged.

"I agree with Hermione." Ginny piped up. "The children deserve a holiday that isn't to Mum and Dad's. Think of it this way," Ginny turned to look at Ron, "both Harry and Hermione believe this metal contraption to be safe. Maybe it is."

"Gin, you haven't heard the worst part." Ron continued, "there's going to be _no_ magic on this trip."

"Well, I suppose we could survive for a week without it." Ginny said slowly. "I mean, it's just a week and if something happens we will have our wands, right?"

"I suppose." Ron accepted.

"Then it's settled." Hermione smiled, "there is a plane going to Austin, Texas tomorrow. I gave a call to my aunt and uncle and told them that there would be five more occupants coming with us. They said it was fine. The kids could have a type of sleepover in their living room and they have two rooms available for us. They don't mind coming to pick us up in Austin. It's a little out of the way, but it's possible for them. I was going to take out about three hundred galleons from Gringotts tonight and put them into my muggle account to pay for the plane tickets.

"Harry, if I could have the money for yours that would be wonderful. They said for five it would be around 1850 pounds." Harry nodded at that. "Now then, I was going to take out another twenty or so for the trip and have it converted into pounds so that we can have it converted from pounds into dollars." Everyone had pretty much stopped listening to Hermione as she went over what to do out loud. "I can help Rose pack tonight, Ron will you help Hugo?" Her question was left unanswered, so she tried it again. "Ron you'll help Hugo pack." Again, she was met with silence. "Ronald Weasley!" She hollered. That got his attention.

"Oi, what 'Mione."

"I told you not to call me that." She glowered before she let it melt away. "I want you to help Hugo pack tonight. I'll get Rose packed after I get the tickets." Ron nodded at his job and went back to talking with Harry.

Rolling her eyes momentarily, Hermione made her way back to where they kept their telephone in the den and spoke with a woman about nine tickets to Austin in the States. Hermione charged it to the only credit card she had put in her name and was told she was all set. With a small smile tugging at her lips, she was finally going to give her children the holiday they've been wanting since they heard Teddy talk about his holiday to Greece with his grandmother.

"Everything is all set. All I need is to do is get to Gringotts and get things packed."

"When's the flight take?" Harry asked.

"Ten tomorrow morning. We need to be at the airport about twenty minutes earlier and the flight takes about nine hours."

At that, she heard Ron give a groan of discomfort. "Aw, 'Mione, are you sure we can't just apparate?"

"No, Ron. I told you, we're taking the plane. And that is that." Hermione snapped at him.

"But 'Mione… I don't even want to be on those suicide contraptions for an hour… let alone _nine_."

"Ronald, I told you to stop calling me that. And we'll be fine. The only thing that might happen is there'll be a teeny bit of turbulence and you might get bored."

Ron tried for one last thing. He knew Floo was out of the question, but maybe, just maybe, his wife would allow something else. "What about Portkey?" The gaze Hermione levelled him with gave him his answer.

After that, Ron remained silent at the fire alight in his wife's eyes. He was the idiot who said they could go.


	2. Tuesday 22 June

**I do not own the Harry Potter Franchise; it belongs to JK. Rowling and others.**_Only thing I own is the plot (I don't even own this Bizarre Holiday XD) and the long lost family you shall be meeting soon._

_Chapter 2: Tuesday 22 June 2011_

Early the next morning, Hermione woke up around six in the morning. She had a lot of running around to do before her family of four met up with the Potters' family of five. Ron had given George a call to tell him that he was to be on his way to Texas the next morning and couldn't run the store for him. She guessed that there were perks for working with blood. Leaving Ron to sleep for another hour or two, Hermione showered and dressed before she made herself a cuppa for the road. She needed to do as she had told the three other adults she was going to do. Gringotts, the conversion station, as well as getting the rest of the way packed were all on her list of tasks to do. And all before it was nine o'clock. This gave Hermione a good, solid three hours to do her running around.

One thing she was thankful for was that both of her kids were packed and ready for the trip. Rosie had her colouring books and crayons; Hugo had his stuffed hippogriff named Hippie – where he had gotten the name, no one knew. Rosie had her summer dresses and play shorts packed, while Hugo had his denim cut-offs and tee-shirts. Both parents made sure that each child had more than enough to occupy themselves on the plane ride. As Hermione was going over all the kids' packed items, she realized that they would need snacks and sure enough, another stop was added onto her list of places to go.

Her trip into Gringotts was an easy one. With her vault key presented, she was taken to extract as much money as she needed for the trip. Harry said that he would give his share later that day. With the almost four hundred galleons withdrawn out of the account she had set up just before Rosie was born – '_an account for family trips… holidays' _had gone her thought process. With the gold tucked away in a purse, she left the Wizarding Bank and made her way through Diagon Alley, almost reminiscing nostalgic memories of twenty years ago. Soon, her own babies would be here, gathering supplies for school. It brought a tear to her eye and a clench in her heart. Reigning in her emotions, Hermione reminded herself that she was on a schedule and had taken more than half an hour in Gringotts alone to get the money.

On her way past _Flourish and Blotts_, she snuck in, reasoning with herself that she needed a book to keep her company on the flight. She was going to try and talk into napping while the children played with their quiet toys and coloured. She couldn't get seats directly next to each other so Harry and Ginny were a few rows back from them. Still, the reasoning in her head sounded legit and brought herself to the section on biographies. With the temptation of a new and revised _Hogwarts; A History_, Hermione steered away and went on looking for anything she could.

Another half hour gone and three new books later, Hermione came out of the bookstore and set her mind straight once more. She had gotten the Wizarding Galleons converted into Great Britain Pounds at the conversion station just outside of Gringotts and now had her mind set on the little market just inside of town and less than half a kilometre walk from her home. Concentrating on a dark, little alley no one paid much heed to, Hermione apparated there with a flick of her wand. The sickening pull at her navel still almost sent her into convulsions of dry heaving as she arrived in said little alley. A few deep breaths later, Hermione was looking around to make sure no one was around to see the odd woman come out of an alcove she never went into.

It was times like these that she prayed to any and all gods for the little market to open earlier during the week as opposed to weekends. She opened the door and set off the bell at the top; which caused the young woman who opened to look up from her paperwork. Her soft black hair was layered and lying just past her shoulders. "Oh, hello, Hermione. You're here early today." The smile was bright on the young woman's face.

"Forenoon, Olivia." She told the cashier. Hermione picked up one of the small trolleys at the front of the store to walk around with. "Yes, well, my husband and I are taking the little ones on a holiday, so I came to look for some snacks for them."

"That's wonderful. Where are you four off to?" Olivia replied, watching as Hermione walked around the tiny market to look for all kinds of snacks.

"Actually, it's going to be the four of us, plus Ron's sister and her family." She told Olivia. She had already placed some gummy fruit snacks in the basket – something she wouldn't normally give to Rose and Hugo – as well as some different types of biscuits and crisps. "I have some family in the States and they have a festival in their hometown. I thought it would be nice for Rosie and Hugo to see that side of their family."

"Sounds like a nice holiday to me." Olivia nodded her agreement to her statement. She then let Hermione get back to her shopping without any more interruption on her part and went back to her own paperwork.

As Hermione browsed, she slowly began to realize that there wasn't much in the quaint, little market as she had originally thought. Still, with the gummies and crisps, she felt that she should find the children something a bit healthier. Looking at the different snacks, Hermione saw scones, crisps, biscuits, a few different types of tarts, and even little packages of fairy cakes, but nothing that she would consider _healthy_. Removing herself from the snack isle, Hermione went to look at what fruit the market had in store for her that day.

Soon, another twenty minutes had gone by and Hermione found herself chastising herself for mucking around when she had things she still needed to get done. And so, with the unhealthy snacks as well as a couple different types of fruit, Hermione checked out. "Find everything you needed, Hermione?" Olivia asked her, the smile returning when Hermione had come up to the register.

Not one to complain much nowadays, Hermione simply nodded. Even if she voiced her complaints about the lack of healthy snacks to Olivia, it didn't mean that the store would automatically be selling them the next time she came in. With her purchase nearing nine and a half pounds, Hermione paid Olivia and helped bag her own groceries before she gave her partings.

_xxx_

With snacks all set to go, Ron up, showered, and dressed, Hermione finished packing her bags for their trip to Texas while Ron entertained both children as well as the five guests they had in their home. When she got home, she had given one last ring to her aunt and uncle – this time, actually getting her Aunt Clara – to remind them that hopefully the flight should be in by three or so in the afternoon as well as give a reminder of each of the people coming with her. If it weren't for Ron, Hermione probably would have stayed on the phone with her aunt for a good solid hour. As it were, they were running a bit late and Hermione agreed on her husband's input on apparating to the airport.

The group of nine was at the airport and checking in to board the plane by the time it was nine-thirty. Most of the luggage was already being sent to the aircraft as each child had on a knapsack filled with toys, books, and crayons to keep them busy while the maternal parents had knapsacks of their own carrying snacks to keep their own children fed. When everything was set, the group went to sit in chairs until their flight was to be called, taking a good ten minutes before they started letting everyone board.

The moment they got on the aeroplane, Hermione helped settle her own family down before she went to go check on Ginny and Harry. The scene she came upon melted her heart. James and Albus were sharing a Quidditch magazine – with, thankfully, an enchantment on it to keep others from seeing any moving pictures – while Harry was helping Lily get comfy in her chair with a blanket and one of her plush animals. Ginny was placing their carry-on luggage in the above compartment for easy access later in the flight. "Are you boys ready?" Hermione asked her nephews. They looked up from their magazine with grins on their faces.

"Of course, Auntie." Albus told her. "Thank you for inviting us."

"Of course, lovey." She told him, ruffling his messy hair. Merlin, he looked just like Harry. Hermione could even imagine Harry looking the spitting image of his son when he was that little.

"Aunt Hermione," spoke up her other nephew, "are there going to be kids our own ages?"

"I can't say for sure, James. I haven't seen these people in over twenty years. I assume there will be children your own ages, but don't take my word for it." James nodded and went back to his magazine.

"What about me, Auntie 'Mione?" Bless that little girl; she made Hermione's heart flutter with her soft words each and every time. "Will there be other children my age?" Lily voiced her brother's concern as her own.

"If no one else, you'll have Hugo, Lils." The smile that erased those troubled lines on her niece's face calmed her own worries. She didn't even bother to ask if there were going to be other children the same age as her children or as Harry and Ginny's. The only one she could really see out of the loop was James, but something told her, that she needn't worry about him. With each child settled, Hermione turned to Harry – whom had already taken his seat – and Ginny. "Are the two of you ready?" Her question was more towards Ginny, but this would be Harry's first time on the aircraft as well. They both nodded.

With their answers given, Hermione returned to her own seat. Her youngest baby was laying much like his cousin, blanket spread across his tiny body and Hippie the plush hippogriff clutched tightly in his arms. His older sister already had the small table down and was colouring to her heart's content. "Everyone all set back there?" whispered her husband as she sat down.

"Yes." She told him. "What about you?" Hermione asked him, his turn for her concern and worry.

"I am, Hermione. Let this death trap start."

"Death. Trap?" Rose spoke up, looking at her parents. "Mummy… this isn't a death trap, is it?

"No, sweetheart. Of course it isn't." Hermione turned her glare to Ron before she brought her gaze back to her child and gave her a hug. "Daddy was just playing. I promise." Hermione brushed her lips across her daughter's forehead where her red fringe sat delicately atop it. "Aeroplanes are very safe, okay?" Rose nodded, albeit still a bit shaken, as she returned back to her colouring. Hermione was thankful that Hugo hadn't heard his father call the plane a "death trap". The last thing she needed was a crying toddler on her hands.

_xxx_

Just like she had told them, it was a very boring flight. Ron had taken to keeping the window shade closed as much as possible from Hugo's window seat. He didn't need the constant reminder that they were kilometres and kilometres above the ground and could possibly fall at any moment – and falling into the Atlantic Ocean was _not_ on his list of things to do this week. Hugo was still taking his nap while Hermione read her book – some new one on the biography of Gregorovitch the wand maker. It wasn't something he was too interested in. Looking over at his daughter, Ron watched as Rose coloured in a picture of some anthropomorphic cat in a dress and bow with a bear and another cat dressed in similar clothing to the first one. He couldn't be sure from which programme his wife had showed her, but it had to be one of them that had slipped his mind. Ron looked back over at his sleeping son and then to his wife. Poking her arm, he whispered in her ear, "'Mione, I'm bored."

"How many times do I have to tell you, _Ronald_, don't call me that? It's a silly and childish name. My full name works wonderfully." Ron grumbled before Hermione placed her opened book on her lap to look at her petulant husband. "Ron, I told you that it would be a long flight. Why don't you take a nap? You're going to have to get used to the time change as it is when we get there." She reminded him.

He seemed to take the hint as he tugged at Hugo's large blanket and covered half of his body with it. "Mummy…" Rosie whispered towards her mother.

"Yes, love?" Hermione was picking her book back up when she saw her husband complying with her words.

"Why does Daddy act as if he's a child?" This got a laugh out of Hermione and a groaning huff from the so-called "Big Child" next to her.

"I couldn't tell you, Rosie. He's your Daddy." She told her daughter; actually unsure why her husband acted the way he did sometimes. It was almost like she had three children in the house at times.

Rose seemed to agree with her mother's conclusions and went back to her colouring. Three and a half hours in and nearly six more to go; however, it wasn't twenty minutes when her daughter turned back to her. "Mummy… I have to use the loo." Her cheeks brightened a soft rosy pink as she whispered her dilemma to her mum. "Where is it?"

"It's all the way in the back. Turning in her seat so she could look past her daughter up the aisle, Hermione pointed to the back of the plane. "There should be a few women in the back. If you ask them, I'm sure they'll help you, lovey." Rose turned in her own seat to look where her mother was pointing, before turning around and went back to colouring. "Rose, I thought you had to use the loo?"

Rose looked at the confusion on her mother's face and turned a brighter scarlet. "N-not anymore." Rose mumbled.

"Rosie, are you scared?" Hermione bluntly asked her daughter. She watched as her daughter processed the question and thought carefully on her answer before she nodded just the slightest bit. "Do you want me to bring you back there?" Again, Rose carefully thought of her answer before again, her chin rose just the slightest of centimetres and brought it back down. Placing her book on her husband's lap, Hermione stood and helped Rose turn her table upright before the duo made their way into the back.

"Hello girls." Said a cheery stewardess with bright blonde hair pulled back into a tight bun. "What can I do for you two ladies?"

"My daughter needs to use the restroom. Where is it?" Hermione spoke for Rose.

"Well, that would be right here." The lady pointed to a door that had the marks of both a man and woman sign with a plaque above it reading Rest Room. "If you want, I can help your daughter find her seat once she's done." The lady looked to Rose with a friendly smile. "Is it okay if you Mum goes to sit back down?"

Hermione, again, watched as Rose processed the information of her mother leaving her side. "O-okay." Rose agreed before Hermione left her daughter.

As she went back to her seat, Hermione passed Ginny with her face screwed up with confusion. "Rose needed to use the loo and was a bit too scared to go ask herself." Hermione quietly explained – there was no need in broadcasting her daughter's problem all the people aboard.

"I don't think that girl is going to be in Gryffindor." Ginny mused. "But she's as smart as a whip. Ravenclaw would be my guess." Hermione smiled at her friend and sister-in-law's notions about her daughter. Sadly though, Hermione had to agree. Sometimes it seemed Rose could be afraid of her own shadow, while other times she was bold and as loud as her cousins. Hermione made the rest of her way back to the seats she shared with her family and sat back down and grabbed her book from Ron's knee where it miraculously stayed.

It wasn't long before Rose was back to her seat with the stewardess, a cup of juice in her hands. "Here we go, back with your Mum." The blonde woman smiled at Hermione's daughter as she sat back down. "And if there's anything else you need Rose, don't hesitate to come ask me, okay?"

"Okay Evelyn. Thank you." Rose quietly responded.

"You're very welcome, sweetheart." With that, the stewardess named Evelyn walked back to where she was positioned by the rear of the aeroplane.

Hermione couldn't help but smile at her daughter's openness. Maybe Ginny was wrong; maybe there was still hope for her daughter yet. Hermione remained silent and went back to her book as Rose went back to her colouring.

_xxx_

Another three hours in brought Hugo's alertness as well as Ron's and while Hugo had a couple of toy cars to play with, Ron had nothing and found himself bothering his wife once again. A lunch had been served during the time Ron fell asleep and found his stomach rumbling. A giggle came from the little boy next to him and a sharp jab to the stomach. "Daddy's tummy is making noises." He said in all his glee.

"That's because Daddy is hungry and Mummy thought it was a good idea that he should sleep through lunch." Ron grumbled out, causing his son's laughter to skyrocket. Hermione had to shush him down while she moved to grab the knapsack she had brought on board.

She took out an apple as well as one of the few jam sandwiches she had made before leaving. "Here. Stop complaining." She then turned to her son. "Do you want something to eat too, Hugo?" The little boy's nod was so frantic; Hermione vaguely wondered how he didn't get whiplash sometimes from his nodding. She pulled out another jam sandwich – half the size of Ron's – and placed it with a napkin on his tray after clearing away some of the toy cars.

Hermione left Ron to tend to Hugo while Hermione went back to what she had been doing beforehand. When she was pregnant with Hugo, she had taken up the silly hobby of knitting. When she was younger, she had always thought it was a pastime for adults sixty and older, but she found that it was comforting. Plastic knitting needles in hand, she continued on the scarf she was knitting for Molly. She had Hugo and Rose's scarves done as well as the scarves for the three youngest Potters.

Rose had fallen asleep about an hour ago, whining that it was a boring flight after ten different pictures coloured, a picture of her family – also coloured in – as well as some time reading some books Hermione had learned to ready in Primary. Nothing too difficult and Hermione had been there when Rose had troubles figuring out a word. Now, the little girl was all tuckered out from sitting still longer than she had sat still her whole life. She had warned them it was going to be a long flight and told them to bring everything that would keep them entertained in the nine hours of the flight.

_xxx_

"Mummy…" Rosie whispered into her mother's ear, "what's that?" Hermione looked over to where her daughter was pointing. It looked to be a boy just around the age of twelve, but what he had on his drawn tray was square and plastic. On the opened part was a screen filled with colourful pictures of cards as well as buttons on the bottom opened part.

"It's called a computer, lovey. Or, in that case, a laptop." She answered her daughter's question.

Rose crinkled up her nose in confusion. "What's a lap top?" She asked.

"It's kind of like the telly we have in the small family room. Except you can play games and interact with it." Hermione explained as best as she could. To be honest, she hadn't spent much time with a computer or laptop now living in the Wizarding World. She remembered her parents having a bulky computer in their Dentist's Office, but it was nothing like the sleek laptop the boy was playing on.

"Can we get one?" Rose asked softly.

"Probably not, Rosie. We don't really need one, do we?" Hermione watched as Rose slowly shook her head. "I didn't think so. We have books and have our own games we can play. We don't need a silly machine for that."

"Okay Mum." Hermione pattered her daughter's head and went back to her knitting. She was almost finished with Molly's scarf and wanted to get it done so that she wouldn't have to worry about knitting at all this holiday.

A good twenty minutes or so passed when Ginny walked up to the smaller family of four and smiled at them. "Hello, Lily is requesting Hugo sit with her. Think that's okay?"

Hermione looked over at Hugo before looking back at her sister-in-law. "As long as someone comes over here to sit in his spot it should be alright." Hermione then turned to Hugo who was sitting quietly in his chair looking at one of his picture books. "Sweetheart, do you want to go sit with Lily?"

His soft brown eyes graced his mother's before a smile split across his face. "Yes, Mummy. I want to sit with my Lily." Hermione smiled and helped her son climb over not only his father but his sister as well.

"Ron looks a little bored over there. Maybe I'll send Harry over." Hermione nodded, not responding to her friend before she went back to her knitting. In a matter of minutes, Harry had shown up and they rearranged so that Rose was in Hugo's old seat, Hermione was in Ron's and Harry was at the end where Rose had been sitting. The two boys she'd grown up with began talking in hushed tones over who-knows-what as Hermione and Rose went back to their previous activities.

_xxx_

_Finally_, the plane was flying around more to wait till it had a place to land. As it did, the captain's voice filtered from the speakers. "Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, this is Captain Evan Leroy and we are about to begin our descent into Austin-Bergstrom International airport. Please place all trays in their upright position and please be seated and buckled as we descend. Currently, it is eighty-two degrees Fahrenheit; approximately twenty-eight degrees Celsius and the time in Austin right now is 2.42PM. We have certainly enjoyed having you on board today and we hope to see you again real soon. Thank you for flying British Airways." Captain Leroy's voice cut out as people did as he asked. Harry left to go back to his seat as Ginny helped Hugo return to his parents and sister to buckle back up.

"Mummy, are we on holiday now?" Hugo asked his mother.

"Yes, pet. We are officially now on holiday." The descent was one of ease and quickly everyone was ushered off the plane.

"Bye Evelyn." Rose told the stewardess who had helped her return back to her mother.

"Have a good trip, Rose." The stewardess told her as they passed through the terminal. The family of four waited until they saw the rest of their group before they went to pick up their luggage before moving outside. Hermione picked up Hugo as Ginny picked up Lily, not wanting to lose their youngest babies in the large crowds of the other boarders.

"Aunt Clara said Uncle Ricky would pick us up out here." Hermione mused to herself.

"Is there going to be enough room?" Harry asked, voicing his concern.

"She said they were sending two cars. Uncle Ricky is going to be driving one and my cousin Darrell will be driving the other. She said with enough squeezing we should all fit in both cars." Just as she finished saying that, Hermione heard the familiar loud clanking of her uncle's old pick up.

"Uh, 'Mione, I don't think we're all going to fit in _that_." Ron told his wife, ignoring her harrumph over her nickname.

"Yes, we are… I believe." The old pick up stopped in front of the group and sat idle as old Uncle Ricky exited.

"Is that you, Li'l Hermione?" He asked, looking at his niece. "God, you have grown up. And are these your young'uns?"

"Hello Uncle Ricky." Hermione gave a hug to her uncle. He had aged since the last time she saw him. The dark brown hair he shared with her and his brother had begun greying in spots and the short bushy beard he had the last summer she was here had grown into a full out beard that almost put Dumbledore to shame, but those shining blue eyes that had stood out in his family hadn't changed one bit.

It was then that she noticed the other person who had pulled up behind him. Her once chubby, nine-year-old cousin had thinned out and grew much taller. His hair which was once buzzed to his head was now shagging to his shoulders in a sandy blonde colour that had matched his mother's. His build was that of an athlete – she remembered something about her father mentioning Darrell making it onto the American Football team at his high school one year. "Hey there, Miss Maya." This expelled a groan from Hermione and a stifled chuckle from Ron; "you've grown up a bit."

"You have too, Darrell." She said trying to act like the mature woman she now was. "I heard you and Emma finally got together. Didn't we all say you would?" It was odd and comforting at the same time. She was pulling herself back into this character she had been so many summers ago, this child who poked fun at her cousin with his sister and own cousins.

"Yeah, well… it only took her getting pregnant for me to really understand how much we were meant for each other." Darrell admitted. "What about you, Maya? Is this that boy you met in yer funny boarding school?" Darrell nodded his head over to Ron which caused Hermione to blush. She had forgotten that they had all met the summer after her first year at Hogwarts. "I'm assumin' so." She had somehow forgotten that the tables were always turned back on her as well.

"Well now, why don't we get y'all packed up into the cars and be on our way. Luling is quite a ways away." Uncle Ricky saved his niece from the torment of his son and moved to pick up one of the bigger suitcases next to Hermione before Ron and Darrell began helping.

"Hermione, what was that all about?" Ginny asked her, as she moved Lily to her other hip so she could talk to her friend.

Hermione shrugged. "I always felt like a different person here. I didn't have to be smart and knowledgeable around my family so they never quite knew me that way." She explained. "Here, I was always Maya regardless of how much I hated them butchering my name. Here, I didn't have to be Hermione Granger, Know-It-All Extraordinaire."

"Well, tha's everythin'." Uncle Ricky said his English accent of his youth completely diminished. "So, who wants ta ride in ole Betsy." James and Al both shot their hands up while Ron gave it a look of suspicion. "What are yer names, boys?"

"I'm James. This is my brother Albus." Offered James.

"Albus, huh? That's a funny name. Tha's not a Brit name, issit?" Uncle Ricky gave a toothy smile.

However, before either Harry or Ginny could respond, Hermione spoke up. "Actually, he was named after our school Headmaster. He was, uh, Irish? You see, Harry was really fond of him, thought of him as a granddad of sorts."

"Ah, I see. Well Albus, I like it." Ricky gave Al a hefty pat on the shoulder before opening up the door to the pickup. "She won't bite, boys. How about one more; Hermione, you wanna ride in ole Betsy?"

"I think I might have to pass on that one." Then, Hermione turned to her husband, "Ron, why don't you go with the boys, hmm?"

"Uh, yeah, okay 'Mione." Hermione let the scowl show on her face, but before she could reprimand her husband once more, her uncle closed the door to the pickup and Hermione found herself being led to the tan Sedan. In the back sat Harry and Ginny with Rose in between them and Lily on Harry's lap while Hermione and Hugo sat up front with Darrell.

"Y'know Maya, Mom's been missin' you and yer parents." Darrell commented before turning the engine on.

"I've missed everyone too. You said you and Emma had a baby?"

"Yup. My own little Isabella Gina." He told her. "She's got her Mama's eyes and her Daddy's hair." Hermione could almost picture the little girl of both British and Asian descent. Her almond brown eyes with that sandy blonde hair must look so out of place, but she could tell her cousin loved his daughter. "She's three, turning four in September." Darrell followed his father's pickup out of the airport and made their way home. All the way, Hermione caught up with her cousin, every once and a while Harry and Ginny spoke up from the backseat.

**Author's Notes:** Maybe just teeny, tiny review? I'm not one to beg...


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